Documents & Reports

Mekong water resources assistance strategy (MWRAS) (English)

Abstract

The goal of the Mekong Water Resources Assistance Strategy (MWRAS) is to prepare a short to medium-term operational strategy aimed at the Mekong River Basin, and to outline the principles for a longer-term strategy. It identifies additional initiatives... See More +The goal of the Mekong Water Resources Assistance Strategy (MWRAS) is to prepare a short to medium-term operational strategy aimed at the Mekong River Basin, and to outline the principles for a longer-term strategy. It identifies additional initiatives for regional sustainable water use and cooperation. The study encourages founding policies on the economic, environmental and social dimensions of the trade-offs that emerge when water use is changed. At the same time, major risks for the environment and for the livelihoods of communities dependent on the Mekong's fisheries are articulated. These issues require cross-border cooperation for proper management. The Strategy emphasizes positive opportunities and the potential to balance the risk- and investment-averse attitudes of the past decade, and to stress the benefits of cooperation. It also argues that (a) much has been achieved in the region that is essential and positive, (b) that these achievements are, however, far from sufficient to address the upcoming challenges and capture the opportunities, and (c) that, unless serious attention is given by the development partners to the present institutional dynamics in the Mekong River management, there is a high likelihood that the progress made in building cooperation among the riparian states will dissipate.
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